Floor structure

ABSTRACT

A floor structure to support a building has I-beam floor joists in parallel spaced-apart relation, a plurality of rectangular pans supported on the I-beams and defined between respective pairs of U-shaped vertical members, and upper and lower closely spaced adhesive layers with fabric matting therebetween to close the bottoms of the pans.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

Reference is made to my Provisional Application No. 60/547,372 filedFeb. 23, 2004, entitled “Floor Structure”.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to floor structures for supportingbuildings, typically houses.

The invention is of particular utility relative to relatively heavyhouse structures according to Pat. No. 6,701,684 of Applicant.

Floor structure according to the invention comprise a plurality ofI-beam floor joists in spaced generally parallel relation to form asub-floor. A plurality of rectangular pans are supported on I-beams,respective pans being defined between respective pairs of U-shapedmembers which extend generally vertically and are welded back-to-back.Plastic foam blocks are disposed in the respective pans between theU-shaped members, and upper and lower closely spaced layers of adhesivewith fabric matting therebetween to close bottom openings of the pans.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken at line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an assembly of the embodiment of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, the present invention provides flooringstructure 10 typically utilized to support a house structure, typicallythat shown and described in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,684.

I-beams or floor joists 12 are disposed in parallel relation and supportthe structure above, and may rest on the ground or other flooringstructure (not shown). The floor joists 12 are formed of steel and areabout 16″ center-to-center and comprise a sub-floor. There may or maynot be lower joists or piers (not shown) below the I-beams 12. TheI-beams 12 support transversely extending pans 14 and side walls 18(FIGS. 1 and 2). Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, a lower layer of adhesive32, and an upper layer of adhesive 36, have there-between a fabricmatting 34, thus to cover the bottom opening 16 of the pans as indicatedin FIGS. 2 and 4.

The plurality of pans 14 is preferably secured to the I-beams 12 bythreaded fasteners (not shown) rather than by welding, thus to provide amore stress-accommodating arrangement. This typically requires elongatethreaded fasteners.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the pans 14 are defined by a plurality ofU-shaped members 20, 22 (FIG. 4) which are welded back-to-back, asshown, and which separate the overall structure into respective pans.Each of the pans 14 may preferably be 4′×14′ or 4′×16′ in size. Asindicated in FIG. 3, a number of pans 14 are utilized, three rows ofpans being shown in FIG. 3.

The structure comprises panels, such as panels 16′ long and 4′ wide,which are set atop the sub-flooring to form a rectangular frame, andthey are screwed down by threaded fasteners (not shown), Cement is addedby pouring it on top of the panels which provides structure.

FIGS. 2 and 4 show blocks of polystyrene foam 24 in broken lines in thepans (FIG. 1) between the I-beams 14. A mesh screen 25, typically offabric, is secured by threaded fasteners (not shown) to horizontalT-portions 30 of T-shaped members 20, 22 as shown in FIG. 4. Lightweight concrete 28 is poured atop the foam members, and above the screen25, as shown, for structural strength.

The expandable polystyrene utilized with the present invention provideshigh compressive strength and excellent resistance to sustained load.This material does not emit toxic fumes and provides a very good fireretardant. This material involves no dimensional stability problems, andits cell structure provides great resistance to all forms of water andmoisture penetration.

Acrylic and cement adhesive provides great strength. It may preferablybe hand-trowled relative to the matting. The lower or bottom of the pans14 comprise two layers of the cementitious adhesive with the mattingtherebetween.

Polypropylene fabric may preferably be utilized as fabric backing forcementitious coating because of its advantages of being easy to handle,and light weight.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be madefrom the preferred embodiment discussed above without departing from thescope of the present invention, which is established by the followingclaims and equivalents thereof.

1. A floor structure for supporting a building, comprising: a pluralityof I-beam floor joists disposed in spaced-apart generally parallelrelation and comprising a sub-floor, a plurality of generallyrectangular pans supported on and secured to the I-beams, respectiveones of said pans being defined between respective pairs of U-shapedmembers extending generally vertically and welded back-to-back, plasticfoam blocks disposed in the respective pans between the U-shapedmembers, and upper and lower closely spaced layers of adhesive withfabric matting disposed therebetween to close the bottoms of said pans.2. A floor structure according to claim 1 wherein said I-beam floorjoists are formed of steel.
 3. A floor structure according to claim 1wherein said pans are secured to said I-beams by threaded fasteners. 4.A floor structure according to claim 1 wherein said pans are ofgenerally rectilinear configuration.
 5. A floor structure according toclaim 1 wherein said plurality of rectilinear pans are disposed in threetransverse rows.
 6. A floor structure according to claim 1 and furthercomprising a mesh screen mounted generally horizontally atop upperhorizontal portions of said U-shaped members mounted back-to-back.
 7. Afloor structure for supporting a building, comprising: a plurality ofI-beam floor joists disposed in spaced-apart generally parallel relationand comprising a sub-floor, a plurality of generally rectangular panssupported on and secured to the I-beams, respective ones of said pansbeing defined between respective pairs of U-shaped members to extendgenerally vertically and welded back-to-back, plastic foam blocksdisposed in the respective pans between the U-shaped members, a body ofconcrete disposed above said plastic foam blocks to provide structuralstrength, and upper and lower closely spaced layers of adhesive withfabric matting disposed therebetween to close the bottoms of said pans.8. A floor structure according to claim 7 wherein said I-beam floorjoists are formed of steel.
 9. A floor structure according to claim 7wherein said pans are secured to said I-beams by threaded fasteners. 10.A floor structure according to claim 7 wherein said plurality of pansare disposed in three transverse rows.
 11. A floor structure accordingto claim 7 wherein said body of concrete extends above and below saidscreen.
 12. A floor structure for supporting a building, comprising: aplurality of I-beam floor joists disposed in spaced-apart relation andcomprising a sub-floor, a plurality of pans supported on the I-beams,respective ones of said pans being defined between respective pairs ofU-shaped members extending generally vertically, said U-shaped membersbeing welded in back-to-back relation, plastic foam blocks disposed inrespective ones of said pans and between the U-shaped members, a meshscreen mounted generally horizontally atop upper horizontal portions ofsaid U-shaped members mounted back to back, upper and lower closelyspaced layers of adhesive with fabric matting therebetween andpositioned to close the bottoms of said pans.
 13. A floor structureaccording to claim 12 wherein said I-beam floor joists are formed ofsteel.
 14. A floor structure according to claim 12 wherein said pans aresecured to said I-beams by threaded fasteners.
 15. A floor structureaccording to claim 12 wherein said pans are of generally rectilinearconfiguration.
 16. A floor structure according-to claim 12 wherein saidplurality of pans are disposed in three transverse rows.